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Chapel Hill, N.C. — The Carolina Leadership Academy has been renamed the Richard A. Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy in honor of UNC’s former director of athletics, who created the program in 2004.

This year marks the eighth year of the Carolina Leadership Academy, providing leadership development programming through interactive workshops, 360-degree feedback, one-on-one coaching, peer mentoring and educational resources. More UNC Stories

“I am most grateful to Chancellor (Holden) Thorp and the University of North Carolina,”said Dick Baddour, who has been affiliated with UNC in various roles for the last 46 years. “I was speechless when I heard the announcement. The leadership academy means a great deal to me because it touches every one of our student-athletes and coaches. This is the highest compliment I have ever received.”

The program invests about 4,700 hours per year in training student-athletes and coaches. Approximately 400 student-athletes, including all freshmen, participate each year.

“The Leadership Academy is one of Dick Baddour’s great legacies at Carolina,” said Thorp. “When he created it, the academy was the first of its kind in collegiate athletics. Since then, it’s done so much to help student-athletes, coaches and staff build leadership skills. So this is a perfect way to honor Dick’s own leadership and his service to Carolina.”

Ghost of RamesesJan 26, 2012

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Never felt the need to comment here before. These posts criticizing Baddour really got my attention. Yes, it's been an embarassing couple of years for the football program at UNC. But I guarantee there has never been an individual more dedicated to the entire university, its image, its character--far beyond the sports programs--than Dick Baddour. Ask anyone who has worked with him or knows him personally or his family, and you will always get the same response: There is no finer person with greater character and humility than Dick. He did not deserve to be undermined by the chancellor's abrupt about-face on the Butch Davis issue. Even those of us who felt all along that Davis had to go had to feel bad for Baddour being left holding the bag when "I'm behind the coach 100%" suddenly became "You're fired." Remember that his impact and legacy are to be measured across dozens of sports, not just the headline-grabbers of football and basketball. Future athletes will benefit from his tenure, and this small honor is well-deserved.

— Posted by bteasley

+100,000,000,000,000. Extremely well said.

Baddour is a nice guy and cool cat. Everytime I have spoken to him he has been a gentleman and he dedicated his life to UNC. He has handled the NCAA investigation with tremendous professionalism and I'm thinking his efforts will go a long way to putting the NCAA at ease.

uncrulesJan 25, 2012

It's a shame there had to be a fall guy instead of coming clean.

Thanks Dick, we appreciate your sacrifice. And don't be discouraged, the renamed Jennifer Wiley classrooms and John Blake hallways should be a great reminder of your wonderful leadership.

bteasleyJan 25, 2012

Never felt the need to comment here before. These posts criticizing Baddour really got my attention. Yes, it's been an embarassing couple of years for the football program at UNC. But I guarantee there has never been an individual more dedicated to the entire university, its image, its character--far beyond the sports programs--than Dick Baddour. Ask anyone who has worked with him or knows him personally or his family, and you will always get the same response: There is no finer person with greater character and humility than Dick. He did not deserve to be undermined by the chancellor's abrupt about-face on the Butch Davis issue. Even those of us who felt all along that Davis had to go had to feel bad for Baddour being left holding the bag when &quot;I'm behind the coach 100%&quot; suddenly became &quot;You're fired.&quot; Remember that his impact and legacy are to be measured across dozens of sports, not just the headline-grabbers of football and basketball. Future athletes will benefit from his tenure, and this small honor is well-deserved.

VT1994HokieJan 25, 2012

When I think about the word leadership. Dick Baddour doesn't even come close to my mind. Maybe he still has some connections that are still giving some huge dollars to UNC. This is usually the way it works.

Mr. FrenchJan 25, 2012

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At leadership academy, the classes only last one week. Their motto, "THIS WILL ALL BE OVER BY FRIDAY."

— Posted by pskunk119

Bwahahahahaha! Excellent.

The world continues to laugh at the Heels. If someone had tried to submit the things that have happened over there since this scandal broke for a book, play, or movie, they would have been laughed out of the room. Yet over in Chapel Hill, the surreal is real, and truth is stranger than fiction.

rayraynralJan 25, 2012

Maybe this will keep him quiet.

ZaknowJan 25, 2012

A nice honor for Baddour. No AD job is easy. Congratulations.

WRALSPORTSFANSUXSJan 25, 2012

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it is amazing how upset the ABC'ers are about this...I'm betting they never give another dollar to UNC.

LOL...

— Posted by forautumn

IT'S ALIVE!

forautumnJan 25, 2012

&quot;...it's not as squeaky clean as they'd have the people of NC believe in basketball either.&quot;

LOL..more conspiracy from the red ragers.

LOL

forautumnJan 25, 2012

it is amazing how upset the ABC'ers are about this...I'm betting they never give another dollar to UNC.